A huge 7.5 magnitude earthquake has struck the Pacific Ocean forcing residents to seek higher ground amid a tsunami warning.
The tremor rocked the sea around 131 miles (210 kilometres) south-east of Tonga, with tsunami warnings have been issued for American Samoa, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC).
The quake struck 15 miles below the sea's surface in the Pacific Ocean, which prompted the initial tsunami warning for and neighbouring American Samoa.
Footage from early Saturday morning shows many evacuating to find high ground. Local government was advising people to move inland, while mariners were being urged to avoid reefs in the deep ocean.
The government said in a statement: "A strong earthquake has occurred near Tonga and felt in whole of Tonga. A dangerous tsunami could occur in minutes.
"You are advised to evacuate immediately inland to high ground or to the 3rd level of a steel or concrete building until the threat has passed.
"Mariners are advised to move to deep ocean away from reefs."
A message posted to social media by a local woman on Friday morning said she was moving inland and to higher ground.
"Keep safe, drive safely, and look out for one another please.," it said.
"If I thought I’d never have to relive another Jan 15th incident, climate change just proved me wrong - please keep #Tonga in your prayers "
An accompanying video was taken out the back of a vehicle driving in the darkness. A line of other vehicles could be seen following behind in visibly wet conditions.
Another social media user reported feeling "shaking for about 3-5 seconds from 7.5 earthquake in Tonga".
"Thank you Pacific Tsunami Warning Center for the alert. American Samoa is now on a tsunami advisory," he said.
New Zealand's National Emergency Management Agency has confirmed there is no threat to the country.
The earthquake comes just months after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Tonga in January, sparking a tsunami, that left at least three people dead and homes across the country damaged.
This came two weeks after the country was rocked by a huge volcanic eruption.
The United States Geological Survey recorded the tremor at a depth of 14.5km around 136 miles west-northwest of the village of Pangai, in Tonga's Ha'apai islands.
The country is still recovering from the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai volcano eruption on January 15, which was more powerful than the atomic bomb that hit Hiroshima, Japan.
The underwater blast sparked a tsunami, leaving at least three people dead and homes across the country damaged.
British charity worker Angela Glover, 50, from Brighton, was one of the trio who lost their lives in the disaster.
Satellite images showed a three-mile-wide plume of ash, steam and gas rising about 12 miles into the air after the eruption.
It could be heard thousands of kilometres away and sparked warnings in New Zealand, Fiji, American Samoa and Australia.
Waves reaching up to 15 metres hit the outer Ha'apia island group, destroying all of the houses on the island of Mango, as well as the west coast of Tonga's main island, Tongatapu, the prime minister's office said.
